Never Walk Alone

Chapter 6 - Captured

Author's Note: No regrets. :):):)

~ Amina Gila

For years, time had been mostly meaningless to Vader. All there ever was, was another mission he had to go on, something else his master wanted from him, and he obeyed robotically. He didn't truly know what it meant to want anything anymore – didn't have anything to want, not after Jabi'im and Malachor – until Luke. It's been weeks that his son has been away from him now, longer than he knew him in the first place.

Vader can't stop wondering what Sidious is telling him, because he has no doubt he's keeping them apart intentionally, trying to tear them apart. And after Ahsoka, after... everyone in his family, Vader doesn't have much hope that it won't succeed.

He can feel through their bond that Luke is fine, but he can also sense now that something is up. Something's... changing.

So, it catches him entirely by surprise when he gets a message on his comm from Luke, asking to come meet him at specified coordinates.

Which is... even stranger than the past several days of silence between them. Luke rarely leaves messages unless he tried calling half a dozen times and Vader was mid-battle or flying and unable to answer. And there's no way he'd just message about a meeting if Sidious finally agreed to let them see each other in person again.

Something is definitely not right, and Vader can't quite figure out what it is.

Outwardly, there was nothing off about it, and if Luke is asking to see him, Vader could never say no to that. Why would he, when that's all he's been yearning for from the moment his master took his son from him, too? If this was Sidious-approved, Luke probably would have said so, so Vader ensures that the men he's presently working with are unaware that he's gone before he takes a shuttle and leaves as soon as he can. He needs to go and be back before Sidious hears something is amiss. No one would question where Vader was for probably one rotation, but any longer than that, and any informants his master has would definitely hear word of it.

But still, Vader can't shake the feeling that something's not right. Maybe, it's simply that Luke's emotions from his side of their unnaturally strong bond are mostly closed-off, to a point that almost feels intentional.

His questions have still faded to mostly as much enthusiasm as he's capable of feeling anymore when he reaches the planet. There's no sign of battles or much life at all, which only furthers his suspicion that this is a... secret meeting.

He can sense Luke close by for the first time in so long. But there's something... another nearby Force presence that's nagging at him.

It's –

Obi-Wan.

He's here?! That – Vader does not want to face him again. He doesn't want to finish his mission either as much as he knows that may be the only a way to... get back on good terms with his master. But if Obi-Wan is here, is Luke in danger? It's that what's happening, or –

His mind is whirling with countless questions when he steps off the ramp. A hooded figure is waiting in the surrounding trees.

"Father," Luke breathes, and Vader's not quite expecting it when the boy rapidly closes the distance between them, wrapping his arms around him.

Vader freezes momentarily – he can't feel it, but he certainly can feel the emotion behind it. The last person to show him affection of that level was... Padme, in another lifetime.

Vader returns it, loosely. It's been so long since he had anyone, he's nearly forgotten what it was once like. "Are you well?" Vader inquires, hands still lingering on Luke's shoulders when his child steps back.